Longhorn Lights Out is UT-Austin's campus-wide event where occupants reduce energy by turning off lights, unplugging unnecessary electronics and powering down computer equipment (check with your IT staff first) the last Friday of every month. It is an example of how simple actions can have a BIG impact. Join the Dark Side and make a difference!

Longhorn Lights Out is contributing to ways to conserve energy and water at The University of Texas at Austin. It comes from the students who make our campus-wide efforts rock, the faculty whose years of research and commitment to energy conservation inspire us, and from the staff who are often the eyes and ears of our program.

President's Sustainability Steering Committee gave the charge for campus to reduce both energy and water use by 20 percent by the year 2020. We are contributing to that charge, and with your help, we can meet--and exceed--our conservation goals.

Longhorn Lights Out is proud to announce that starting in February 2016, our events will be upgraded to Zero Waste Events! At our events, food is served on compostable plates, and there will be compostable waste bags and recycling bins available. To make this all possible, the LLO team is working with The Green Events Team. Green Events promotes sustainability at UT events by supplying composting and recycling options, innovates techniques to reduce paper waste and using eco- friendly material and supply alternatives. These efforts of the LLO and the Green Events Team help reduce solid waste on campus and improve landfill diversion through increased and improved recycling. We are helping UT reach its goal of diverting our discards out of the landfill by at least 90% by 2020.